Alpha Champion (Wolf Fighters Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

was, but he would ask her again. One more time. And if she truly wanted him to leave after that, he would respect her wishes. He moved around the side of the house until he could see the second-floor room that used to be hers. Then he rolled up his sleeves, found a foothold on the worn brick, and started climbing.

3
    L ily walked into her room with a heavy heart and began going through the motions of getting ready for bed. She shut her heavy door behind her and locked it, then started to unzip her dress. When it got caught and wouldn’t go down any farther, she cursed.
    “Want some help?”
    She gasped and whirled around to see a dark figure silhouetted against her window, leaning against her frame casually like it was the most normal thing in the world to do.
    She sighed and took a step forward. “I can see you still know how to climb up to my window.”
    “How could I ever forget?” he asked drily, stepping toward her with folded arms. She could feel her heartbeat in her throat as he got closer.
    “You were supposed to go home,” she said.
    “I couldn’t,” he said. “I could tell you didn’t really want me to.”
    She turned away. “What I want doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’m not the only one involved.”
    “So there is something else,” he said, moving forward to take her by the arms. She tried to pull away, but he kept her there, gently pressing her to tell him what was wrong. “Tell me.”
    “I can’t,” she said. “And there’s nothing you can do.”
    He sat on the edge of her bed and looked out the window. “So many good memories here. And so many bad ones.”
    She grinned and sat next to him, enjoying the easy warmth he exuded. He’d always been the gentlest, strongest person she’d known. She had no doubt if he knew what was holding her back, he’d try to help her. Even after she’d left him, hurt him, abandoned him at the behest of her family.
    But she had to protect him from himself. He’d only cause trouble if he stayed.
    “Lots of good memories,” she said. “I’m sorry it ended bad.”
    He shrugged. “I guess, deep down, a part of me always knew it had to. I mean, we were from different worlds. You were the rich princess, and I was just a self-defense teacher. Still, I had hoped—”
    “Me too,” she cut in quickly. “I hoped too.”
    Silence fell over the moment. She wasn’t sure exactly why he was there, but she knew she wouldn’t get him to leave until he’d said or done whatever he’d planned when he’d snuck in. Lucas was stubborn like that. When he wanted something, he got it. It was something she’d loved about him, as someone who was too passive in her own life.
    “I just don’t get why you’d want to stay here. There’s something special between us. There always has been. I know you can feel it. Leave with me. I’ll protect you.”
    She nodded. “I know. But I can’t afford to.”
    He reached up to cup her face in his hand. It was so tender that she had to blink away tears. “Tell me why. Let me help you.”
    “I can’t,” she choked out. “I can’t. What do you want from me?”
    “I want to be with you. If not, I want to know how to free you.”
    “You can’t,” she said. “There’s nothing you can do.”
    “Then be with me,” he said. “One more time. Let’s just remember what we had.”
    She let out a long, resigned breath. Once Lucas started touching her, she’d never be able to ask him to stop. But she deserved this. One last wild moment before everything went to hell when the tournament started tomorrow. “All right.”
    He kissed her ear where it met her jaw, and she gasped. “If you stay, someone like Bruce will be able to do this to you,” he said, moving down to kiss her shoulder.
    “Lucas,” she gasped out, offended by his words. He was being cruel, even if he spoke only the truth. He tugged her dress down, revealing her shoulders.
    “If you stay, someone else will get to undress you. Mate you. Stay with you.